On May 20th, with the 28th National Day of Assisting Persons with Disabilities approaching, Self-Improvement College of Fujian Normal University(FNU) was established on the Cangshan Campus. Lv Shiming, member of the NPC Standing Committee and vice chairman of China Disabled Persons’ Federation (CDPF), Hong Jiexu, vice chairman of Fujian Provincial Committee of Chinese People's Political Consultative Conference, Lin Heping, director of Fujian Education Department, Ke Shaoyu, chairman of Fujian Disabled Persons’ Federation, You Jiarui, former executive vice minister of United Front Work Department of the CPC Fujian Provincial Committeeanddean of Fujian Lixue School for Classical Studies, Yang Yongrang, former political commissar of Fujian Artillery Division for Reserve Duty and former vice director of Political Department of Fujian Provincial Military Region, Zhou Jian, vice director of Department of Rights Security of China Disabled Persons’ Federation, Zhou Yan, vice secretary-general of China Education Association for International Exchange (CEAIE), He Zhongguo, editor-in-chief of Cadres Tribune by Party School of the CPC Central Committee, Huang Wenchuan, deputy editor-in-chief of Tianjin Daily, Chen Qiang, vice director of Fujian Disabled Persons’ Federation, Zheng Shengtao, founder of Fujian Provincial Foundation for Self-Improving and Helping the Disabled and Needy Students(FPFSHDNS) and FNU leaders Wang Changping, Pan Yuteng, Ye Shen, Huang Qingbo, and Zheng Jiajian, attended theceremony. Representatives from CDPF, CEAIE, Xinhua News Agency and Qiushi (seeking truth) magazine, from colleges or universities such as Xiamen University, Fujian Agriculture and Forestry University, Minnan Normal University, Sanming University, Longyan University, Wuyishan Vocational College, from differentsectors of societyand some teachers and students from FNU attended the plaque unveiling ceremony, presided over by vice president of FNU Zheng Jiajian.
FNU President Wang Changping addressed the opening ceremony.After a brief introduction of FNU, he pointed out that education is an important source of life for people with disabilities, and a fundamental approach totheir self-reliance. The establishment of Self-Improvement College aims to enable disabled people to have a chance to receive better higher education, develop in an all-round way, integrate into society, and become self-reliant, which will be of great significance in developing and practicingthe socialist core values, calling on the whole society to care about and help people with disabilities, and promoting the development of civic morality and spiritual civilization. He said that FNU alumnus Zheng Shengtao practiced the self-improving concept, supported the construction of his alma mater, did his best to help college students from families with financial difficulties and with disabilities, and made unremitting efforts to set up Self-Improvement College, which was respectable and touching. FNU will take the establishment ofSelf-Improvement College as an opportunity to vigorously promote the humanitarian spirit, try to do something good andsubstantial for the disabled, advocate equality and friendly interpersonal relationships, and build a beautifulcampus where people care about and help each other.
In his speech, vice chairman Lv Shiming pointed out that in recent years disability projects have made great achievements and wongood reputations abroad. Disability projects with Chinese characteristics are embarking on a new journey in the new era and facing a brilliant new future. Self-Improvement College of FNU will add new connotations to higher education in the new era, adding new missions and pursuits, and new responsibilities for college students to fulfil. He emphasized that the establishment of Self-Improvement College is a flag of humanity at Fujian Normal University, an epitome of excellence for universities of integrating disabled and non-disabled students and also an interpretation of spiritual education featuring barrier-free beauty and humanity and a manifestation of prevalent civilization.
Alumnus Mr. Zheng Shengtao, professor of English of Minnan Normal University andfounder of FPFSHDNS was hired as the first dean of Self-Improvement College, Fujian Normal University. He said that the establishment of Self-Improvement Collegeis pioneering in integration education and helping the disabled and supporting the needy and is support and assistance to hisdream of establishing Self-Improvement Collegegiven by FNU with practical actions.
After the plaque unveiling ceremony, the ceremony of founding Research Center for Accessibility Development, Fujian Normal University and the signing ceremony for strategic cooperation between CEAIE and FPFSHDNS were held. The lectures about integration education of barrier-free care in the new era were given. Tang Zhanxin, director of management committee of specific fund for “Barrier-free Care Project”, Barrier-free Concept Dissemination Center of Self-Improvement and Talent Cultivation (Beijing), FPFSHDNS and director-general of Noval Inception Foundation, Ye Lei, an alumna and representative of self-improving university students, Zheng Shengtao, the first dean of Self-Improvement College, and Shao Lei, executive dean of Institute for Accessibility Development, Tsinghua University,were invited to deliver a lecture respectively. On the evening of May 20th, a party for charity under the theme “My Self-Improving Dreams & Sharing Barrier-Free Love” was held at the Comprehensive Gymnasiumon the Cangshan Campus to celebrate the establishment of the new college. Members of China Disabled People’s Performing Art Troupe were invited to perform their popular programs such as “The Thousand-HandedGoddess of Mercy”.
Self-Improvement College, jointly established by Fujian Normal University and FPFSHDNS and operated by College of Online Education and Continuing Education, is an inter-disciplinary college with accessibility, aiming at pushing forward integration education of disabled and healthy students. Furthermore, the college will also set up a self-improving fund, and cooperate with related enterprises in production, education, and research to help more disabled people integrate into society and receive higher education.
Alumnus Mr. Zheng Shengtao was born in Zhenghe County, Nanping City, Fujian Province in 1963. After being born for 4 months, he suffered poliomyelitis,which led to his disabled legs. From 1979 to 1981, he attended the college entrance exam for three consecutive years. Despite his high marks that surpassed the admission scores of key universities, he was still rejected. After three-year self-study, he took postgraduate entrance exams for three times. In 1987, he finally got admitted by Fujian Normal University as an English major and became the first disabled person to work on a master’s degree. Later, Mr. Zheng Shengtao gradually grew up into as a professor and founded FPFSHDNS, Fujian Shengtao Industrial Investment Group, etc. He also wins the titles like“National Merit Teacher”, “National Self-improving Model”.
(Translated by Wang Sijie, Reviewed by Xie Xiujuan)